Electrical bell-ringer for street-cars.



No. 636,779. Patented Nov |4, |a99. F. A. ENZ & w. H. FETTER. ELECTRICAL BELL BIN GER F0 BEET CABS. (Application 'flled July 8,

(No Model.)

ATTORNEYS.

PETERS ca. wo'rou'rum wnsnmarcn n b V '4 UNITED STATES;

PATENT FRANCIS A. ENZ AND WILLIAM H. FETTER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRICAL BELL-RINGER FOR STREET-CARS.

srncrrrca'rron forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,779, dated November 14, 1899.

' Application filed Jul 's, 1899. Serial No. 723,001. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANCIS A. ENZ and WILLIAM H. FETrER, citizens of the United anism, and is particularly adapted for use on electrically-operated street-cars.

The invention has for its object to construct a device of this kind which may be operated by the'motorman by the same hand employed for operating the lever of the controller, thus enabling the motorman to operate the alarmgong at any time desired without releasing the controller-lever.

Ordinarily the alarm-gong on street-cars is placed either on the top of the roof extending over the car-platform or on the under side thereof in order that the same may be in such a position that no resistance or obstacle will be presented to its sound Waves, and it is usually sounded by a cord or cable connected 'to the tapper and suspended in close proximity to the controller-lever or handle, where it may be engaged bythe motorman. Such construction has been found objectionable, inasmuch as it is always desirable'for the motorman to retain one hand on the controllerlever and the other'on the brake-lever, and to operate or sound the gong it is necessary to release the hold on either the controller-lever or the brake-lever and for the time being releasing his control of the car. To overcome this objection and permit the motormau to sound the gong at any time desired without releasing the hold on the controller-lever or brake-lever and at the same time retain the gong in the desired position on the car is the main object of our invention, and to accomplish these'res'ults we have shown one form of construction in this specification, and where-' in likenumerals of reference will indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Briefly described, the construction herein shown for accomplishing the objects of our suitable means.

invention consists of a spring-actuated push rod arranged in the controller-lever,in mounting a disk provided with independent collecting-rings upon the controller-stein, and forming an electrical circuit with these collectingrings, the alarm-gong, and the dynamo of the earl This electrical circuit is completed so as to actuate the tapper of the alarm-gong therein,the disk on the controller-stem,partly in section to show the electrical connections with the collecting-rings, and the wire connections. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the disk or collecting-drum which is mounted on the controller-stem. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the controlling-stem. Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional View of a portion of the collecting-drum.

Referring to the drawings by reference-numerals, 1 indicates the controller-stem, which is preferably constructed hollow as shown, and extends some distance above the controller-box 2, so as to receive the controllerlever 3, the latter being grooved or recessed on its underneath side, as shown at 4, for the reception of the lever-rod carrying the contact-block by means of which'the electrical circuit is completed and the gong sounded when desired. The hollow stem 1 of the controller is provided near its upper end with a side opening communicating with the central opening of said stem and within which is arranged a sleeve or box 6, composed of any suitable insulated material and which may be secured firmly in the stem by screws 7 or other Within this sleeve or box 6 is arranged a pair of contact-plates S and 9, suitably held in position and one of which is connected to the magnet operating the tapper of the gong and the other to the dynamo or main feed-wire of the car.

The handle 10 of the controller-lever 3 has arranged therein a sleeve 11, the opening in which is of greater diameter in the upper part and within which is adapted to operate the push-rod l2, carryinga push-button 14 on its upper end, adapted to project normally above the plane of the handle and when operated to be compressed within the seat 15, formed therefor in the upper end of said handle. Arranged on this push-rod 12, between the pushbutton 14 and the shoulder 16, formed in the sleeve 11 by decreasing the size of the opening in said sleeve, is a coil retracting-spring 17, which serves to keep the push-button normally in the elevated position, as shown in Fig. 1, and the contact-block normally out of engagement with the contact-plates 8 and 9. The lower end of this sleeve 11 is bifurcated, as at 18, and between the prongs thus formed extends one arm of the bell-crank 19, which is pivotally secured to the controller-lever within the recess 4, near the outer end of said lever, the said arm of the bell-crank 19 being pivotally connected to the lower end of the push-rod 12, while the other arm of the hellcrank 19 is pivotally connected to the outer end of a lever rod or bar 20, arranged in the recess 4 and carrying on its inner end a contact-block 21, adapted when the push-button is operated to enter the opening between the two plates 8 and 9 and by contact with these two plates complete the electrical circuit to sound the gong.

Rigidly mounted on the controller-stem 1 within the controller-box 2 is a collectingdrum 22, composed of any suitable insulation and upon which is mounted apair of collecting rings or hands 23 and 24, the former electrically connected to the gong and the latter to the ground. These two collecting-rings are separated on the drum 22, which is provided with a slit 25, extending from the periphery to the center. This forms a means for binding the collecting-drum upon the controller-stem by means of a binding-bolt 26, inserted in the periphery of the drum and passing transversely through the same, as shown in Fig. 4. As the nut 27 of this bolt is tightened it draws the two sides at 25 toward each other and effects an impinging engagement of the drum upon the controllerstem 1. The head of the bolt andthe nut are both countersunk into the periphery of the drum, as at 28, to prevent contact with the collecting-rings 23 24. The upper collectingring 23 is connected, by circuit-wire 29, passing through a groove 30, provided therefor in the upper face of the collecting-drum, and up through the hollow stem 1, to the plate 8, while the lower collecting-ring 24 is similarly connected, by circuit-wire 31, connected thereto and passing through a groove 32 on the underneath face of the collecting-drum 22 and up through the hollowstem 1, to the plate 9.

Secured to the inner wall of the controllerbox 2 is a pair of brushes 33 34, the former having the ground-wire connection 35 and contacting with the collecting-ring 24, and

the latter having the circuit-wire 36, which may be carried underneath the car-platform and up the front thereof in suitable position through a suitable switch 37 to the gong 38. The brush 34 is adapted to contact with the upper collecting-ring 23. The circuit is completed by circuit-wire 39, connected to the gong or hell 38 and to the trolley-wire or dynamo in any suitable manner.

The operation of our improved gong-ringing mechanism is as follows: Assuming all parts to be in their respective positions as herein shown and described, it will be observed that the motorman may freely turn the controller-lever without operating the gong, and when it is desired to sound the latter pressure is applied to the push-button 14, (preferably with the thumb,) and the forcing of the same within its seat 15 compresses the spring 17, forces the rod 12 downwardly, and

causes the latter by its connections through v the bell-crank 19 with the lever-rod 20 to force the latter forwardly and 'cause the contactblock 21 to enter between the contact-plates 8 and 9, contacting therewith and completing the electrical circuit through the circuit-wires 29 and 31, collecting-rings 23 and 24, brush 33, and wire 35 to the ground, and brush 34 and wire 36 to the bell or gong, the remainder of the circuit being completed through the circuit-wire 39 to the trolley-wire or dynamo. Upon relieving the pressure upon the pushhutton 14 the retracting-spring 17 forces the rod 12 upwardly and through its connections with the rod or lever 20 withdraws the contact-block 21 from its contact with the plates 8 and 9 to break the circuit, in which position the parts normally remain.

It will be observed, of course, that the switch 37, which we have shown, is not essential to the successful operation of the device; but by passing the circuit-wire 36 through such switch the circuit may be broken, so as to prevent the continuous ringing of the bellin case the contact-block 21 should be held in contact with the plates 8 and 9 by reason of some parts of the mechanism having become locked, so as to hold the said block 21 in such contact.

We desire to call particular attention to the simplicity of construction and the fact that instantaneous sounding of the gong may be obtained when desired, together with continuous ringing of the gong or bell while op erating the lever of the controller, if so desired, as in many instances the motorman is required to remove his hand from the controller-lever to operate the gong or hell when it is desired that he should retain his hold on the lever to control the car, and by this device simultaneous operation of the gong or hell and the controller-lever is obtained.

It will also be observed that while we have herein shown and described one form of construction including many details and minor parts, yet various changes may be made in these details of construction without departing from the general spirit of our invention, and we therefore do not want to claim these details specifically; but

What we do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electrical bell or gong ringing mech anism, the combination with a controller-stem and a controlling-lever connected thereto, of a collecting-drum composed of insulated material rigidly mounted on said stem, collecting-rings mounted on said collecting-drum, a pairof contact plates arranged within the controller=stem and insulated therefrom, electrical connections between said plates and the collecting-rings, a pair of brushes adapted to contact with said rings, a bell or gong, electrical connections between said bell or gong and the feed-wire or dynamo, one of said brushes having electrical connections with the bell or gong and the other with the ground, and means arranged in the controller-lever and adapted to be brought into contact with the plates in the controller-stem to complete the electrical circuit to operate the bell or gong, substantially as described.

2. In an electrical bell or gong ringing mechanism, the combination with a controller-stem and a controller-lever of an insulated collecting-drum mounted on the controller-stem, collecting-rings mounted on said drum, a bell or gong having electrical connections with a feed-wire or dynamo, brushes adapted to contact with the collecting-rings and having electrical connections with the bell or gong and ground, and means arranged in the controllerlever and adapted to complete the electrical circuit through the controller-stem to operate the gong, substantially as described.

3. In an electrical hell or gong ringing mech= anism, the combination with a controller-stem and a controller-lever of an insulated drum mounted on said stem, collecting-rings mounted on said drum, brushes engaging said 001* lecting-rings, a bell or gong, contact-plates arranged within the controller-stem and insulated therefrom, a spring-actuated push rod and bar arranged in the controller-lever, a contact-block carried by said bar and adapted to contact with said plates in the controller stem to complete the electrical circuit, and connections between the brushes and the electrical hell or gong, substantially as de= scribed. In testimony whereof we affix our signa= tures in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS A. ENZ. W. H. FE'ITER. VVitnessest JOHN NOLAND, E. W. ARTHUR. 

